4 Ways You Can Prevent a Stroke

The brain needs blood and the oxygen it carries to function properly so that you can control your movements, think, speak, and do other daily activities . A stroke occurs when the blood supply to part of your brain is blocked or when a blood vessel bursts. Often, strokes cause lasting effects on the brain such as long-standing disability or even death. Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death and the leading cause of disability in the United States.1 It is closely associated with hypertension, obesity, and high blood cholesterol levels. The good news is, up to 80% of strokes are preventable!2 Through healthy lifestyle changes and working with your health care team, you can protect yourself starting today.